Decorative exfoliated shell and method of producing the same



Patented J an. 19, 1926.

. UNITED STATES SIDNEY RAUSCHENBEBG, 0] SAN DIEGO, CALHOBNm- DECORATIVE EZI'OLIATED SHELL AND METHOD OI PRODUCING THE SAME.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY RAUSCHEN- BERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Decorative Exfoliated Shells and Methods of Producing the Same, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to decorative, exfoliated shell, more particularly pearl shell, and to a method for producing the'same, and the objects of my invention are:-first, to provide exfoliatable natural shell in sheets, layers, laminations or exfoliations; second to provide a decorative flakeshell made from ordinary seaor similarshells; third, to provide decorative exfoliated shell for architectural and artistic decorations; fourth, to provide shell flakes which impart brilliance, iri'descence, scintillation, high lights and relief: fifth, to provide flake shell of this class which is simple and economical of productionand use and applicable for decorative surfacing of all kinds, and which will not readily deteriorate, decay or get out of order, and sixth, to provide a new and novel method of producing exfoliated shell of all kinds and classes.

\Vith these and other objects in v1ew, as Will appear hereinafter, my invent1on consists of a certain novel product of exfoliated shell and the certain novel method of producing the same, as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the various decorative arts a variety of materials have been used to impart brilliance, iridescence, scintillation, high lights and relief, such as smalt, carborundum, mica, sand, glass, beads, pebbles, crushed stone and tile, but none of these lmpart the iridescent beauty of exfoliated shell, particularly pearl shell, which may be applied upon any adhesive surface, such as varnish, paint, enamel, stucco, cement, plaster and other like materials.

It will be noted that natural sea shells,

particularly pearl shell {such as abalone,

pearl oyster shell and other like shells, are in their natural construction formed of layers, laminations, sheets and the like, whlch are secured together by chemical adhesion; I have provided a method of separating the same, as will be described hereafter.

I produce exfoliated shell from any of the various pearl shells, such as abalone and Application filed Kay 17, 1921. Serial No. 714,148.

certain decorative purposes, or it may be further purified by hot or cold maceration in water without or with an. alkali, as de- 1 sired, such as sodium carbonate, soda ash or other alkali or solvent agent to facilitate the solution of impurities and undesirable coloring matter. This purified, exfoliated shell in virtually pure pearl shell in laminated or flaked form, having all the beauty-of color and iridescence of the precious pearl and differing from it only in physical form. In this state of purity it possesses wonderful beauty and is adapted to the highest character of decorative arts.

It will be noted that in conducting the process of heating, great care must be taken not to overheat and darken or burn the shell. Overheating also renders it too soft and clisintegrable to be of any decorative value. The various shells are of varying degrees of hardness, grain or texture, and heat affects them differently. Therefore, the precise temperature or time for treatment cannot be stated. Heavy and hard shells require high temperatures and more prolonged treatment than thin and softshells. In the following I give a specific instance of the Working of my process to produce exfoliated shell from large, heavy mother of pearl shells, such as abalone shells, itlreated in an oven with carefully regulated eat.

The shells are treated in an oven with carefully regulated heat of a temperature of about 450 Fahrenheit to 500 Fahrenheit, and from 45 minutes to 95-minutes according to the thickness and nature of the shell, before test specimens show it to be exfoliatable. Smaller and thinner shells may become exfoliatable with only 30 minutes heat treatment, at a temperature of from 400 to 450 F ahrenheit. W

This finished product of exfoliated shell, being in thin laminae or flakes, makes possible its use for architectu'raland other decorative purposes where coarser and heavier materials cannot be used; and artistic surfaces produced by the use of different ex-' foliated shell are more economical of construction than those in which the coarser, heavier materials are used. This exfoliated shell may be also used for imitation snow or any artistic or aesthetical decoration.

Though I have described a certain decorative, exfoliated shell product and a certain method of producing the same, I do not Wish to be limited to the particular product nor to the particular method, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the product and method substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A product of manufacture, consisting of exfoliated pearl shell.

2. A product of manufacture, consisting of an exfoliated natural shell material capable of imparting brilliance, iridescence, scintillatiou, high lights and relief of different hues.

3. The herein described method of producing exfoliated animal shell, consisting in subjecting the shell to an even heat until the exfoliations are separable, and then mechanically disintegrating the exfoliations.

4. The herein described method of producing exfoliated animal shell, consisting in the exfoliations are separable, then mechani-- cally milling the product, and then washing the product.

9. The herein described method of producing flaked natural pearl shell, consisting in subjecting the shell to an even heat until the exfoliations are separable, then mechanically milling the product, and then treating the product with a solvent agent to facilitate the solution of impurities and coloring matter.

10. The herein described method of producing flaked natural pearl shell, consisting in subjecting the shell to a laminae-loosening process until the laminae are readily separable, and then mechanically milling the resultant product.

11. The herein described method of producing flaked natural pearl shell, consisting in subjecting the shell to a laminae-loosening process until the laminae are readily separable, then mechanically milling the resultant product, and then washing the product.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Diego, California, this 10th day of ,May, 1924.

SIDNEY RAUSCHENBERG. 

